Time delay switch



Feb. 6, 1962 J. T. GURNEY, SR

TIME DELAY swI'rcH Filed April 8, 1959 INVENTOR.

Q BY ym fiM Joseph I G'umy, .Sc

United States Patent 3,020,363 TIME DELAY SWITCH Joseph T. Gurney, Sn, RD. .1, Rte. 12, Box 219B, Chenango Forks,N.Y. Filed Apr. 8, 1959, Ser. No. 805,085 15 Claims. (Cl. 200-33) This invention relates generally to switches and more particularly to a time delay switch utilizing mechanical, rather than thermal or electrical, time delay means.

Many uses readily come to mind for time delay switches of various types. A simple switch of this type which is safe and inexpensive may be utilized to advantage in conventional lighting circuits wherein the switches are psitioned on a wall remote from the exit of the room and it is desired to maintain the room lit until the person exits therefrom. By utilizing the teachings of this invention, the switch may be set for an interval of for example, five seconds which wouldkeepthe roomlighted unti'l'the per.-

son exited therefrom;

Accordingly, the principal object of this invention is to provide a novel time delay switch. M

It is a further object of this inventionto provide a novel time delay switch utilizing,mechanical time delay means; Itis a still further object of this invention to provide a novel time delay switch whose time delay may bee'asily varied and selected. I v

It is a still further object of this invention to-provide a novel time delay switch which is capable of-handling high currents and yet manufacture.

In accordance with the above stated objects, belowfis' particularly described the construction and operation of a novel time delay switch incorporating mechanical time delay means therein.- A liquid switch, as for instance a mercury switch, is pivot-ally mounted about a pivot axis spaced from said switch. The liquid switch is'rigidly carried between a pair of arms pivoted on said pivot axis. Time delay means in the form of a capsulecarrying a movable weight therein, impeded by liquid as oil, are also rigidly carried by said arms. The time delay means are spaced further from said pivot axis than is the liquid switch. Positioning means which may be frictionally retained in a selected pivotal position are provided and include a pair'of legs adapted to engage a boss on said capsule for angularly or pivotally positioning said capsule. The angle of inclination between the liquid switch and the capsule is such that the liquid switch may be closed while the weight in the capsule may slowly pass through the oil until it pivotsthe arms about said pivot axis to carry said liquid switch to an open position. It will be apparcut that the rate at which the movable Weight, carried by gravity, moves through the capsule, impeded by the oil, depends upon the angular or pivotal inclination of the capsule relative to the horizontal. Therefore, the time delay interval may be varied by varying the angular position of the capsule and the interval may be selected by manually positioning the actuator to frictionally retain the actuatorin a desired position wherein the legs thereof will engage the boss on the capsule to correctly angularly position the capsule. The arms are pivotally connected to fixed terminals to a substantially frictionless connec tion comprising pools of mercury or such in which they are continually carried.

Other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE lis a perspective view of a wall plate illus trating a switch mounted on a wall;

which is relatively inexpensive'to.

3,020,363 Patented Feb. 6, 1962 FIGURE 2 is an elevational rear view of the switch assembly;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially along the plane 3-3 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view taken substantially along the plane,4-4 of FIGURE 3; and

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view of the actuator.

With continuing reference to the drawings andinitial reference to FIGURE 1, the numeral 10 illustrates a wall upon which the wall plate 12 is adapted to be secured by screws 14 and 16. Indicia 18 on the wall plate 12 coop crates with a pointer 20 of a handle 22 which is pivotally mounted relative to the wall plate 12. The handle 22 has a threaded aperture 24 therein which receives the terminally threaded portion of screw 26. The handle 22 has a counterbored portion 28 which is out of round at 30 to receive a reduced portion 32 of sleeve34 passing over the shank portion of screw 26. ,An inverted u-shaped;

' 48 adapted to'bear against the plate 12 as is'illustrated in FIGURE 3.

A washer 50 is also carried on the shank portion of screw 26. It will be noted that the friction member 46 has a projecting portion 52 which extends to: ward the plate 12 beneath thebight portion 38 and'bes tween the legs 40 and 42 of the inverted U-shaped meritber 36. It should be appreciated that by turning the handle 22, the screw 26 is pivoted relative to the platev 12 and the friction member 46 and inverted U-shaped member 36 are likewise pivoted therewith. Inasmuch as the recessed portion 48 of friction member 46 frictionally engages the plate 12, the handle 22 and legs 40 and 42 of the inverted U-shaped member 36 may be positioned,

and retained at any angle relative to the plate, 12.

Though the bight portion 38 of the inverted U-shaped member 36 lies immediately adjacent the. plate 12, the legs 40 and 42 include an outwardly inclined portion 54 and 56 respectively. The terminal portions 58 and 60 of the legs 40 and 4,2 are therefore spaced from the plate 12 as indicated in FIGURE. 3. v

A substantially rectangular body 62 is supported from the plate 12 by bolt 64. The body 62 has a pair of recessed portions 66 and 68 which communicate with threaded portions 70 and'72 receiving screws 74 and 76 therein. The pools 66 and 68 are filled with mercuryor any conductive liquid. A pair of nuts 78 and 80 are received on screws 74 while nuts 82 and 84 are received on screws 76. Conductors 86 and 88 may be electrically connected to the screws 74 and 76 by being sandwiched between the nuts 78 and 80, and the nuts 82 and 84.

Screws 90 and 92are horizontally received inthe body 62 and have unthreaded shank portions 94 and 96 which lie over the mercury pools 66 and 68. A pair of arms 98 and 100 are pivoted on the shank portions 96 and 94 of the screws 92 and 90 which are aligned to define a pivot axis.

;A' pair of electrical probes 102 and 101 are electrically.

connected to the arms 98 and 100 and penetrate intoa cavity 106 in a block 108. The cavity 106 has a quantity of mercury 111 therein adapted to bridge the electric probes 102 and 101 to complete a circuit between the conductors 86 and 88.

A capsule has bosses 112 and 114 thereon." The movable weight as a steel ball therein and aquantity' of impeding liquid as oil 122. A plug 124 seals the capsule 110. It will be noted that an air bubble 126 floats in the oil 122. The block 108 having the mercuryfilled cavity 106 therein is supported from the capsule 110 by cement means or such 128. It will be noted as in FIGURE 4, that the capsule 110 is inclined at a ditferent angle relative to the block 1&8 and cavity 105 contained therein. It is thought that the structural features of the invention should now be understood and accordingly the operation and utilization of the invention will now be discussed.

It will be noted with the handle 22 positioned as is illustrated in the drawings, the leg 42 of the inverted U-shaped member 36 will abut or engage the boss 114 to position the capsule 110 and block 108 as illustrated in FIGURE 4. It will be appreciated that the U-shaped member 36 or actuator will be retained in the position set by the handle 22 as the depressed portion 43 of friction member 46 bears against the plate 12. When it is desired that the light or circuit controlled by the switch comprising this invention remain energized, the arms 98 and 100 are pivoted about the screws 92 and 94 in an extreme clockwise direction (looking at the switch from the direction indicated in FIGURE 4) so that the mercury pool 111 in the cavity 106 bridges electric probes 102 and 101. In this extreme clockwise position, the capsule 110 will be inclined toward the left so that the ball 120 will be positioned at the extreme right of the capsule 110. When a person desires to open the circuit after a preselected time interval, he turns the handle 22 to the position shown in FIGURE 1 and the preselected time interval indicated by the indicia 18. In this position the actuator or U-shaped member 36 will assume the angular relation indicated in FIGURE 4 so that the leg 42 engages the boss 114 to incline the capsule 110 toward the right. It will be appreciated that the ball 120 will then tend to flow through the oil 122 toward the left or lower portion of the capsule 110. Inasmuch as there is a significant angular difference between the inclinations of the capsule 110 and block 108, the mercury pool 111 continues to bridge electric probes 102 and 101 as illustrated in FIGURE 4. When the ball 120 passes a certain point in the capsule 110, its moment arm about the pivot axis defined by screws 92 and 94 will cause the arms 98 and 100 to pivot counterclockwise carrying the block 108 to a position such that the mercury pool 111 will flow toward the left or lower portion of the cavity 106 to disconnect the electric probes 102 and 101 from each other. It will be appreciated that the circuit through conductors 86 and 88 will then be broken. By angularly positioning the handle 22 as desired, it is seen that difierent time delay intervals may be achieved. This is apparently because the gravity force on the ball 120 is varied so that a different interval is required to pass the ball through the oil 122 to achieve the necessary moment arm to pivot the arms 98 and 100 about the pivot axis defined by screws 92 and 94.

The movement of the arms 98 and 100 through the mercury in the depressions 68 and 66 about the shank portions 96 and 94 of screws 92 and 90 is almost frictionless and accordingly, the switch is extremely unlikely to ever stick or malfunction. The current path from conductor 86 to conductor 88 may take a reasonably high current, for household uses, and accordingly the utility and novelty of the switch will be appreciated.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A variable mechanical time delay switch compris ing a liquid switch pivotally mounted about a pivot axis for pivotal movement between an open and closed position, time delay means rigidly fixed to said liquid switch for pivoting said switch about said axis to an open or closed position after a preselected interval subsequent to the selective pivotal positioning of said time delay means wherein the extent of said interval depends upon said pivotal positioning.

2. A variable mechanical time delay switch comprising a liquid switch pivotally mounted about a pivot axis for pivotal movement between an open and closed position, time delay means rigidly fixed to said liquid switch for pivoting said switch about said axis to an open or closed position after a preselected interval subsequent to the selective pivotal positioning of said time delay means wherein the extent of said interval depends upon said pivotal positioning, said time delay means comprising a movable weight and an impedance in the path of said movable weight.

3. A variable mechanical time delay switch comprising a liquid switch pivotally mounted about a pivot axis for pivotal movement between an open and closed position, time delay means rigidly fixed to said liquid switch for pivoting said switch about said axis to an open or closed position after a preselected interval subsequent to the selective pivotal positioning of said time delay means wherein the extent of said interval depends upon said pivotal positioning, said time delay means compris ing a movable weight and an impedance in the path of said movable weight, said movable weight contained in a closed capsule, a liquid in said capsule impeding the movement of said weight.

4. A variable mechanical time delay switch comprising a liquid switch pivotally mounted about a pivot axis for pivotal movement between an open and closed position, time delay means rigidly fixed to said liquid switch for pivoting said switch about said axis to an open or closed position after a preselected interval subsequent to the selective pivotal positioning of said time delay means wherein the extent of said interval depends upon said pivotal positioning, said pivot axis being spaced from said liquid switch and said time delay means, said time delay means being spaced further from said pivot axis than said liquid switch is spaced from said pivot axis.

5. A variable mechanical time delay switch comprising a liquid switch pivotally mounted about a pivot axis for pivotal movement between an open and closed position, time delay means rigidly fixed to said liquid switch for pivoting said switch about said axis to an open or closed position after a preselectd interval subsequent to the selective pivotal positioning of said time delay means wherein the extent of said interval depends upon said pivotal positioning, said pivot axis being spaced from said liquid switch and said time delay means, said time delay means being spaced further from said pivot axis than said liquid switch is spaced from said pivot axis, a pair of arms, said arms pivotally supported about said pivot axis, said liquid switch rigidly carried between said arms.

6. A variable mechanical time delay switch comprising a liquid switch pivotally mounted about a pivot axis for pivotal movement between an open and closed position, time delay means rigidly fixed to said liquid switch for pivoting said switch about said axis to an open or closed position after a preselected interval subsequent to the selective pivotal positioning of said time delay means wherein the extent of said interval depends upon said pivotal positioning, said time delay means comprising a movable weight and an impedance in the path of said movable weight, said movable weight contained in a closed capsule, a liquid in said capsule impeding the movement of said weight, said pivot axis being spaced from said liquid switch and said time delay means, said time delay means being spaced further from said pivot axis than said liquid switch is spaced from said pivot axis.

7. A variable mechanical time delay switch comprising a liquid switch pivotally mounted about a pivot axis for selective pivotal positioning of said time delay means,

wherein the extent of said interval depends upon said pivotal, positioning, said time delay means comprising a movable weight and animpedance in the path of said movable weight,said movable weight contained in a closed capsule, a liquid in said capsule impeding the movement of said weight, said pivot axis being spaced from said liquid switch and said time delay means, said time delay means being spaced further from said pivot axis than said liquid switch is spaced from said pivot axis, a pair of arms, said arms pivotally supported about said pivot axis, said liquid switch rigidly carried between said arms.

8. A variable mechanical time delay switch comprising a liquid switch pivotally mounted about a pivot axis for pivotal movement between an open and closed position, time delay means rigidly fixed to said liquid switch for pivoting said switch about said axis to an open or closed position after a preselected interval subsequent to the selective pivotal positioning of said time delay means wherein the extent of said interval depends upon said pivotal positioning, and positioning means for selectively pivotally positioning said time delay means to select said interval.

9. A variable mechanical time delay switch comprising a liquid switch pivotally mounted about a pivot axis for pivotal movement between an open and closed position, time delay means rigidly fixed to said liquid switch for pivoting said switch about said axis to an open or closed position after a preselected interval subsequent to the selective pivotal positioning of said time delay means wherein the extent of said interval depends upon said pivotal positioning, and positioning means for selectively pivotally positioning said time delay means to select said interval, said positioning means including a plate having an actuator pivotally mounted thereon, friction means carried by said actuator for frictionally engaging said plate to retain said actuator in a selected pivotal position, said actuator having a pair of legs, a boss on said time delay means engageable by one of said legs to selectively pivotally position said time delay means.

10. A variable mechanical time delay switch comprising a liquid switch pivotally mounted about a pivot axis for pivotal movement between an open and closed position, time delay means rigidly fixed to said liquid switch for pivoting said switch about said axis to an open or closed position after a preselected interval subsequent to the selective pivotal positioning of said time delay means wherein the extent of said interval depends upon said pivotal positioning, said time delay means comprising a movable weight and an impedance in the path of said movable weight, said movable weight contained in a closed capsule, a liquid in said capsule impeding the movement of said weight, and positioning means for selectively pivotally positioning said capsule to select said interval.

11. A variable mechanical time delay switch comprising a liquid switch pivotally mounted about a pivot axis for pivotal movement between an open and closed position, time delay means rigidly fixed to said liquid switch for pivoting said switch about said axis to an open or closed position after a preselected interval subsequent to the selective pivotal positioning of said time delay means wherein the extent of said interval depends upon said pivotal positioning, said time delay means comprising a movable weight and an, impedance in the path of said movable weight, said movable weight contained in a closed capsule, a liquid in said capsule impeding the movement of said weight, and positioning means for selectively pivotally positioning said capsule to select said interval,

said positioning means including a plate'having an actuator pivotally mounted thereon, friction means carried by saidactuator for irictionally engaging said plate to retain said actuator ina selected pivotal position, said actuator having a pair of legs, a boss on said capsule engageable by one of said legs to selectively pivotally position said capsule.

12. A variable mechanical time delay switch comprising a liquid switch pivotally mounted about a pivot axis for pivotal movement between an open and closed position, time delay means rigidly fixed to said liquid switch for pivoting said switch about-said axis to an open or closed positionafter a preselected interval subsequent to the selective pivotal positioning of said time delay means wherein the extent of said interval depends upon said pivotal positioning, said time delay means'comprising a movable weight and an impedance in the path of said movable weight, said movable weight contained in a closed capsule, a liquid in said capsule impeding the move ment of said weight, said pivot axis being spaced from said liquid switch and said time delay means, said time delay means being spaced further from said pivot axis than said liquid switch is spaced from said pivot axis, a pair of arms, said arms pivotally supported about said pivot axis, said liquid switch rigidlycarried between said arms, and positioning means for selectively pivotally positioning said capsule to select said interval.

13. A variable mechanical time delay switch comprising a liquid switch pivotally mounted about a pivot axis for pivotal movement between an open and closed position, time delay means rigidly fixed to said liquid switch for pivoting said switch about said axis to an open or closed position after a preselected interval subsequent to the selective pivotal positioning of said time delay means wherein the extent of said interval depends upon said pivotal positioning, said time delay means comprising a movable Weight and an impedance in the path of said movable weight, said movable weight contained in a closed capsule, a liquid in said capsule impeding the movement of the weight, said pivot axis being spaced from said liquid switch and said time delay means, said time delay means being spaced further from said pivot axis than said liquid switch is spaced from said pivot axis, a pair of arms, said arms pivotally supported about said pivot axis, said liquid switch rigidly carried between said arms, and positioning means for selectively pivotally positioning said capsule to select said interval, said positioning means including a plate having an actuator pivotally mounted thereon, friction means carried by said actuator for frictionally engaging said plate to retain said actuator in a selected pivotal position, said actuator having a pair of legs, a boss on said capsule engageable by one of said legs to selectively pivotally position said capsule.

14. A variable mechanical time delay switch comprising a liquid switch pivotally mounted about a pivot axis for pivotal movement between an open and closed position, time delay means rigidly fixed to said liquid switch for pivoting said switch about said axis to an open or closed position after a preselected interval subsequent to the selective pivotal positioning of said time delay means wherein the extent of said interval depends upon said pivotal positioning, said liquid switch including electrically conductive probes extending externally thereof, stationary switch terminals, pools of conductive fluid in electrical contact with said terminals, said probes rigidly connected to conductive arms pivotable about said pivot axis extending through said pools whereby said liquid switch may. move relative to and remain in electrical contact with said stationary terminals.

15. A variable mechanical time delay switch compris: ing a liquid switch pivotally mounted about a pivot axis for pivotal movement between anopen and closed position, time delay means rigidly fixed to said liquid switch for pivoting said switch about said axis to an open or 7 closed position after a preselected interval subsequent to the selective pivotal positioning of said time delay means wherein the extent of said interval depends upon said pivotal positioning, said pivot axis being spaced from said liquid switch and said time delay means, said time delay means being spaced further from said pivot axis than said liquid switch is spaced from said pivot axis, a pair of arms, said arms pivotally supported about said pivot axis, said liquid switch rigidly carried between said arms, stationary switch terminals, pools of conductive fluid in electrical contact with said terminals, said arms being electrically conductive and extending into said pools for movement about said pivot axis extending through said pools, said liquid switch electrically connected between said arms whereby said liquid switch may move relative to and remain in electrical contact with said stationary terminals.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

